Medieval Towns

Maryanne Kowaleski is Joseph Fitzpatrick S.J. Distinguished Professor of Social Science and History and Director of the Center for Medieval Studies at Fordham University in New York. She is also the author of Local Markets and Regional Trade in Medieval Exeter (Cambridge University Press, 1995), editor of The Local Customs Accounts of the Port of Exeter, 1266-1322 (Devon & Cornwall Record Society, 1993), and co-editor of Gendering the Master Narrative: Women and Power in the Middle Ages (Cornell University Press, 2003).

• Chronological Table of Contents List of Tables List of Figures List of Maps Introduction I. The Early Middle Ages 1. The Grandeur of Rome 2. The Roman  Baths3. The Humble Townspeople: Graffiti and Election Notices on the Walls of Pompeii 4. The Impact of the "Barbarian Invasions" on Fifth-Century Towns5. Gregory of Tours's Ode to Dijon in the Sixth Century6. Toll Exemptions in French Towns7. The Raids of the Northmen8. The Magyar Raids 9. The Creation of Bruges 10. Otto I Grants a Market in Bremen to the Archbishop of Hamburg, 96511. The Origins of the Saxon Towns12. The Customs and Rents of Hereford According to Domesday Book, 108613. Grant of Privileges to the Castilians, Mozarabs, and Franks of Toledo, 1086-111814. German Colonization in the East 15. Archaeological Excavations in Tenth-Century York II. Communes, Government, and External Relations 16. The People of Cologne Rebel Against Their Archbishop, 107417. The Formation of a Commune at Laon, 111618. The Customs of Lorris, 115519. The Lombard Communes As Viewed by a German Bishop20. Royal Charters Granted to Dublin, 1192-122921. Lübeck Is Made an Imperial City, 1226 22. The German Emperor Annuls All City Charters, 1231-3223. Election of the Podestà, Consuls, and Officials of Volterra, 122424. The Magnates and the Rise of the Popolo and Guilds in Florence, 1207-1328 25. The Greater versus the Lesser Citizens in Bristol, 131626. "Mother" Towns: Breslau Adopts the Charter of Magdeburg, 126127. "Daughter" Towns: The Citizens of Culm Seek Advice from the City Rulers of Magdeburg, 133828. Brunswick Extends Civic Rule to Its Suburbs, 126929. Florence Expands Its Contado, 1202-8930. The Struggle between the Guelfs and Ghibellines 31. The Establishment of the Rhine League and of Its Peace, 125432. Decrees of the Hanseatic League, 1260-6433. The Cinque Ports Confederation 34. Parliamentary Summons to English Boroughs, 1295 35. The Pope and City Politics in Siena, Fifteenth Century III. Urban Society and Social Conflict 36. Charter to the Non-Noble Knights of Burgos, 125637. Tower Fellowships and Factionalism in Florence38. Factionalism and the Concerns of an Exile, 1312 39. Commercial Status, Wealth, and Political Office in Medieval Exeter 40. The Political Fortunes of a Florentine Merchant 41. The Distribution of Wealth in Two Towns 42. A Bondman Seeks Refuge in an English Town, 1237-3843. Grievances of the Common Folk of Dublin, 1316-1844. A Day in the Life of a Carpenter 45. A Londoner's Household Goods, 1337 46. Domestic Slaves47. The Revolt of the Commons in London, 1194 48. The Risings in Ghent and Bruges Against the Patricians, 1301-0249. The Demands of the Ciompi in Florence, 1378  IV. The Urban Economy50. Market Regulations in Muslim Seville 51. The Champagne Fair Towns 52. Tolls at Southampton, c.1300 53. Regulations on the Sale of Meat and Fish in Beverley, 1365-140954. Shopping in the London Markets55. Letter from the Genoa Branch to the Home Office of the Datini Company, 1393 56. Restoring Prosperity to the Port Town of Bordeaux, c.146557. Regulation of Trade by a Merchant Guild, 1257-7358. Craft Guild Regulations: The Shearers of Arras, 1236 59. Regulations of the Guild of Skinners in Copenhagen    60. Guild Apprenticeships   61. Dispute Between the Master Saddlers of London and Their Journeymen, 139662. The Bakers of Coventry Strike, 1484    63. Guild Rivalry in Florence, 1425 V. Urban Finance, Jurisdictions, and Justice64. Accounts of the City of Siena65. The Town Accounts of Leicester, 1377-7866. Tax Declarations in Florence for the Catasto of 142767. Winchester Pleads for Tax Relief because of Urban Decline, 145268. The Jurisdiction of the Wardmotes of London69. Proceedings in the Courts of Nottingham, 1395-96 70. The Cost of Recovering a Debt in Marseille, 1331  71. Feud and Vendetta: The Private Pursuit of Justice in Pistoia  72. Urban Punishments73. The Dublin Prison, 1486 VI. Marriage and Family74. The Del Bene Marriage Negotiations in Florence, 138175. Marriage in the Merchant Class76. Contracting Marriage in York and Paris 77. Women, Family Relations, and Inheritance in Aragon78. Women, Family Relations, and Inheritance in Magdeburg and Breslau79. Wives at the Tavern  80. Childhood Deaths in London81. Family and Household in Manosque, 1418-26  82. A Comfortable Retirement for the Wealthy  83. Caring for the Aged in Medieval Exeter84. Family and Households: A Demographic Perspective   VII. Women85. Proper Behavior for a Young Townswoman86. Women and Gossip 87. Women and Fashion88. Singlewomen in Coventry, 1492-9589. Women in the Parisian Craft Guilds, c.127090. Limits on Employing Women as Weavers in Bristol, 146191. Advice on Hiring Maidservants, c.139392. Female Servants and ProstitutionVIII. Religion, Piety, and Charity 93. The Bishop of Speyer Gives the Jews of the City a Charter, 108494. Restrictions on Jewish Communities in English Towns95. Persecution of the Jews in Strasbourg and German Towns, 134996. Problems among the Clergy of Rouen Cathedral, 124897. The Beguines of Ghent, 1328      98. The Good Canon of Cologne99. A Popular Franciscan Preacher in Paris, 1429100. Lay Piety and Reform: Peter Waldo of Lyons101. The Processions of the Flagellants, 1349102. The Religious Fraternity of St. Katharine at Norwich, 1389   103. The Accounts of the Churchwardens in Canterbury, 1485-86104. Religion, Morality, and Politics: Savonarola's Influence over the Florentines105. A Maison-Dieu in Pontoise, c.1265106. The Distribution of Alms in Florence, 1356   107. Charitable Bequests in Siena, 1300-25 IX. Education108. The Cost of Schooling, 1394-95109. Niccolo Machiavelli as a Young Student110. Privileges Granted to Masters and Students at the University of Paris111. Town/Gown Controversies in Oxford and Paris 112. A Student Riot at Oxford, 1388-89113. Wooing Masters and Students from Paris to the New University of Toulouse, 1229114. Contract between the Town of Vercelli and the Students at Padua, c.1228115. The Foundation of the University of Heidelberg, 1386 116. A Scholar in Paris X. Entertainment and Civic Ritual117. Sports in London  118. The Start of the Secular Stage, Exeter, 1348119. Order of the Pageants of the Corpus Christi Plays in York, 1415120. Trouble Behind the Scenes in York, 1420   121. Feast and Festival in Venice122. The Feast Day of St. John the Baptist in Florence123. A Wake in Oxford, 1306124. Processions for Peace in Paris, 1412 125. Mayoral Elections in England  XI. The Dangers of Urban Life126. Fires  in Novgorod127. Famine Mortality in Bruges and Ypres, 1316 128. Discrimination Against the Poor in Siena During the Famine of 1329 129. The Black Death in Florence, 1348 130. The Plague in Edinburgh, 1498-99131. The Urban Militia of a Spanish Frontier Town: Cuenca, 1190132. Parma at War  133. The Siege of Calais, 1346-47 134. Crime Prevention in London135. Criminal Courts and Punishment in Marseille, 1406-07 136. The Road to Ruin in Dijon, 1492 XII. The Urban Environment137. Air Pollution in Southwark, 1307138. Regulations for London's Streets, 1297 139. Garbage Removal in English Towns, 1385140. The Water Supply of Dublin141. The Sounds of the City: Bells, Horns, and Town Criers142. London Bridge, 1404  143. The Town Rents of Edinburgh, 1457 144. Building Regulations in London, 1189145. The Rise and Fall of Urban Towers in Italian Towns146. Building Contracts for a Tavern and House, 1342147. A Merchant's House in King's Lynn   148. Clothing and Head-gear 149. Medieval Fast Food 150. Meat Consumption XIII. The Idealized City151. A Description of London, c.1173 152. In Praise of Milan's Townscape, 1288153. The Evils of the Big City Maps Index of Topics Index of Towns Index of Town Officials Sources

If you teach a course on medieval towns, you will want to assign it. If you have students interested in projects connected with medieval cities, you will want to recommend it. And if you simply want to learn more about the lives of townspeople in the Middle Ages, you will want to pick it up and browse through it. But be forewarned; once you start reading, you may find that the range and vitality of the material in this volume makes it difficult to put down.- The Medieval Review